The Zulu Tribe

The Zulu Tribe

Introduction

Zulu tribe is also known as the people of heavens. There are around 5 million people in the Zulu tribe and considered as one of the largest tribes in Africa (Time Inc., 1976). The primary mode of subsistence and way of earning living for the Zulu tribe was Horticulture and Pastoralism (Neal, 2002).

Discussion

Pastoralism involved raising and breeding of animals which is also knows as animal husbandry. These animals are then used in famous ceremonies and rituals of the tribes. The animals used for this purpose are mainly herbivorous and rely on the grass and other green plant for their existence. The list of such animals includes horses, camels, cattle, sheep and goats. Zulu tribe is further classified as Transhumant pastoralists that migrate from one place to another depending upon the weather patterns and they move between areas that have cool summer or warm winter. They majorly breed animals like cattle, goats and poultry. They normally have permanent shelters and places to live in such areas for the purpose of raising and breeding of animals. They usually live in semiarid areas that are not considered good for the purpose of agriculture but suitable for animal grazing. In times of flood and draught they move to other areas (Hower, 2006).

They were also involved in Horticulture by cultivation of maize, wheat and rice as the major crops. This basically involved farming at a very small scale and usage of simple tools to grow plants at a household level and these plants are then used for small scale breeding of animals like poultry. Due to their farming techniques and practice the soil that is used for farming depletes and loses nutrients which makes it difficult to do any further farming on it and the tribe has to move to other areas for the purpose of farming and raising animals. Usually men are involved in activities that relate performance of chores and activities outside the domains of their houses. For example they are majorly involved in hunting, business and other agricultural activities. On the other hands females' area of work is confined to the household tasks such as cooking, serving and distribution of food, farming in the house. In this tribe the families are working to support their own family and the community and village through different communal activities like building homes, clearing fields and hunting (Hower, 2006).

Additionally Zulu tribe has also been witnessed to be involved in other modes of subsistence like industrialists. A time came when raising household animals and small scale farming was not enough to provide for the needs and requirements of the family and soon the Zulu tribe has do get involved in other commercial activities like trading, professional jobs in the cities for the purpose of paying increased taxes. They were also involved in industrial arts and hoe was considered as the primary industrial implement while in households grinding stone was the main industrial implement (Sithole, 2002).

Families are the point of concern in ...